Robert Vadra slams govt, says it has reached its level of desparation

Petrol pumps, on the other hand, deferred their decision to stop accepting payments through credit or debit cards till January 13.

New Delhi, Jan 9: Congress President Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra on Monday attacked the Centre for lack of management after the petrol pumps across the country threatened to stop accepting payments through credit or debit cards.

Vadra said there was lack of coordination between banks and the government. "The government seems to have reached its levels of desperation to overcome the initial blunder it created through the unplanned and unthought process of demonetisation," Vadra said on Facebook.

"First government offered sops to push people to use debit or credit cards, and when people started using more of cashless means, now lack of coordination with banks and their policies is forcing petrol pump owners to adopt these drastic steps," he said.

Vadra's remarks come after the All India Petroleum Dealers Association threatned to stop accepting credit or debit cards from Monday in protest against additional charge of upto 1 per cent on card transactions.

"What was the whole meaning to offer 0.75 per cent discount and then banks start charging MDR (merchant discount rate) 1 per cent from petrol pumps?" he asked.

Petrol pumps, on the other hand, deferred their decision until January 13. The decision came banks decided to defer charging fuel retailers a transaction fee till January 13.

IANS